Former F1 driver SAVAGES Alan Permane and Otmar Szafnauer after Alpine sackings

Alpine

Former F1 driver SAVAGES Permane and Szafnauer after Alpine sackings

The duo were dismissed by the team during the Belgian Grand Prix race weekend

Dan Davis

Tuesday 15 August 2023 10:27

Former Renault test driver Franck Montagny has criticised Otmar Szafnauer and Alan Permane after their sackings at Alpine, savaging them as 'useless'.

In an announcement that shocked the Formula 1 paddock, Alpine confirmed during the Belgian Grand Prix weekend that team principal Szafnauer and long-serving sporting director Permane would depart.

While the team insisted the pair stepped away by 'mutual agreement', it is thought that both were instead axed as part of Alpine's wide-sweeping overhaul.

Article continues under video

Permane leaving the company was perhaps the biggest surprise in light of his three decades of service, a stint stretching back to their Benetton era.

However, Montagny, who worked at Renault between 2003 and 2005, hit out at Permane and backed the bombshell decision to move the two top figures on.

Permane was moved on after three decades of service, a stint dating back to the Benetton era

'Bravo, Bruno Famin'

"I think that the rising morale of the troops is mainly due to the fact that Permane, Szafnauer, etc. were fired, and frankly, they were useless," he said in a video.

"I was already with Permane when I was at Renault in 2003, and Renault took him off the race team because they couldn't stand him on the race team any longer and put him on the test team.

"When he returned to the test team, he tired everyone out, and he's been with the team for 34 years. I think it was the right thing to do, bravo, Bruno Famin."

Alpine Motorsports vice-president Famin has stepped in as interim team principal from the Dutch Grand Prix onwards while a permanent replacement is sourced.

Pat Fry, meanwhile, will step away from the team's chief technical officer role to take up the exact same position at rivals Williams, starting in November.